VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Upholstery - Interiors & Glass Adding Seat Belts

Planning on adding lap seat belts to my 1950. Any suggestions as to the best location in the floor to attach them? Are there any ready-made floor brackets available that would work best? If anyone has added seat belts, I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks

I put belts in our 53 the belts had an option of some large metal plates that went under the floor.
Al

Hi Hawkeye,

Check out this link for some good info. We have discussed your topic before.

Good luck, Mike

Seat belts

I can appreciate a person's desire to make a vehicle as safe as possible. That being said, seat belts per se are not the "Holy Grail" that many believe them to be. True, seat belts will prevent you from being thrown out of the vehicle and having it roll on you in an accident.

However, seat belts will provide little protection in the most common types of antique vehicle accidents - broadsides and head-ons. In both of these types of accidents, back in the days of lap-belts only, many were seriously injured or killed by the interior collision ( where the head or body violently contacts an interior part of the vehicle, like the dashboard or door). Lap belts alone will not prevent you from colliding with these parts. The full lap-belt/shoulder strap arrangement helped cure this, and front and side air-bags went even further. I do not know if the structure of old Chevs could take the stresses of lap/shoulder belts in an accident if they were to be installed.

My hope here is that you will not fall into a mistaken sense of security after you install lap-belts. The chances of being seriously injured in an accident remain almost the same, especially if the vehicle does not have a collapsible steering column. I speak from experience as my in-laws were in a head-on accident where both vehicles were travelling only 30 mph. They were in a 1969 Ford pickup which had lap belts. My father-in-law hit the steering wheel and suffered only bruises and scrapes. My mother-in-law's head hit the dashboard and she suffered permanent crippling brain damage. Both were wearing lap belts.

A lap belt only can cause serious injuries or death in a head-on crash due to the body forced forward and the hips held in place. This causes major spine injuries.
I have lap belts in my cars but don't depend on them for protection in all types of collsions. More of a "feel good" thing as I am accustomed to buckling up at all times.

I agree with you regarding the false sense of security. It is possible to install lap/shoulder belts also. The only thing belts protect one from in an old car is being ejected from the vehicle. Many states do require some type of restraint being installed. Mine is one of them.

There is a Utube video from the Insurance Institute showing a controlled head on crash between a 1959 Bel Air and a 2009 Malibu. The 09 occupants would have survived with minimal injuries while the 59 occupants would have died. Food for thought.

Hello Mike,

How did you determine the length of the seat belt you wanted to install ??

Hi Dave,

To determine the length, I think mine came in two sizes, I sat in the seat and took measurements. I am average weight for 6'3", about 180 pounds, so the smaller size was good for me. However, I do have an obese friend, and if I were around 200 pounds mine would be too small. I measured from the back floor anchor area, up through the seat, then around my waist.

Thanks, Mike

Thanks Mike,

I'm currently looking to put them in the rear of my '37. The front is going to be a little more difficult and require a slot to be cut in the metal brace that supports the bottom of the seat to the back of the seat. Which will also require removing the fabric. Not financially prepared for that now.